Eliza Sweren-Becker

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Articles

House Bill Would Hurt American Voters

Jan 14, 2025 | brennancenter.org | Owen Bacskai |Eliza Sweren-Becker

View the entire Federal Attacks on the Freedom to Vote collection To kick off the year, House Republicans reintroduced the SAVE Act, which would require every American to provide documentary proof of citizenship to register or re-register to vote. The bill passed the House last year but failed to advance in the Senate. Now that the GOP has a governing trifecta in Washington for the next two years, Republican members have fast-tracked the bill in the House and pledged to make it a top priority.
Election Deniers File Baseless Lawsuits Now in Order to Challenge Results Later

Oct 23, 2024 | truthout.org | Eliza Sweren-Becker

Right-wing activists may point to ongoing litigation as a basis for slowing, stopping or altering election processes. ByEliza Sweren-Becker, BrennanCenterforJusticePublishedOctober 23, 2024A Trump supporter holds a sign that reads "Stop The Steal! Joe Biden Traitor! Liar! Thief!" in front of the Washington State capitol on January 17, 2021, in Olympia, Washington.David Ryder / Getty ImagesAt least one tactic in this year’s election subversion playbook is clear.
The Not-So-Secret GOP Plan to Turn Conspiracy Theories Into Election Result Roadblocks | Common Dreams

Oct 23, 2024 | commondreams.org | Eliza Sweren-Becker

At least one tactic in this year’s election subversion playbook is clear. Step one: before Election Day, file a slew of lawsuits making baseless allegations of bloated voter rolls, unlawful voting, and problematic election procedures. Step two: if right-wing activists are unhappy with election results, point to those previously filed cases to justify demands to halt certification or change outcomes. This plan is neither secret nor new. It’s a repeat of 2020, now with more advanced planning.
Putting Conspiracy Theories in a Legal Complaint Doesn’t Make Them True

Oct 22, 2024 | brennancenter.org | Eliza Sweren-Becker

At least one tactic in this year’s election subversion playbook is clear. Step one: before Election Day, file a slew of lawsuits making baseless allegations of bloated voter rolls, unlawful voting, and problematic election procedures. Step two: if right-wing activists are unhappy with election results, point to those previously filed cases to justify demands to halt certification or change outcomes. This plan is neither secret nor new. It’s a repeat of 2020, now with more advanced planning.
Guide to Laws Against Intimidation of Voters and Election Workers

Jun 18, 2024 | brennancenter.org | Eliza Sweren-Becker |Jasleen Singh

Intimidation Through Mass Challenges The ProblemEfforts to gather information on voters and build a record for mass voter challenges can be used to disenfranchise eligible voters by seeking to remove them from the rolls before an election. Since 2020, election deniers have brought meritless mass challenges based on flimsy and unreliable evidence, such as amateur matching between voter registration lists and the National Change of Address registry.
State Courts Can and Should Do More to Protect Voters

Apr 16, 2024 | statecourtreport.org | Joshua Douglas |Alicia Bannon |Jasleen Singh |Eliza Sweren-Becker

State constitutional clauses collectively elevate the status of voters as a group, giving state courts a strong reason to use a separation of powers analogy against efforts to curtail voting rights. The problem is well known: the U.S. Supreme Court has failed to protect the fundamental right to vote under the U.S. Constitution. In fact, I have a new book coming out — The Court v.
Montana Strikes Down Voting Restrictions

Apr 10, 2024 | statecourtreport.org | Alicia Bannon |Jasleen Singh |Eliza Sweren-Becker |Miriam Seifter

Unlike the U.S. Constitution, nearly every state’s constitution explicitly grants an affirmative right to vote, which raises important questions about whether and how state constitutions may provide additional protections for voting rights. Last month, the Montana Supreme Court spoke to these issues in a major ruling that struck down a number of restrictive voting laws under its state constitution.
We’re Defending Michigan Voters from a Lawsuit Threatening Their Ability to Vote

Apr 5, 2024 | brennancenter.org | Andrew Garber |Eliza Sweren-Becker

The Brennan Center and our partners took legal action Thursday to stop a lawsuit that threatens to disenfranchise Michigan voters. The complaint filed by the Republican National Committee in March against state officials alleges that Michigan has failed to keep its voter rolls up to date, a claim that misreads federal law and uses flimsy evidence to pressure the state to purge eligible voters.
Who Has the Authority to Prosecute People Accused of ‘Voter Fraud’ in Florida?

Mar 18, 2024 | statecourtreport.org | Jasleen Singh |Eliza Sweren-Becker |Miriam Seifter |Ciara Torres-Spelliscy

Florida has made it nearly impossible for people with felony convictions to determine whether they are eligible to vote.
Mississippi Must End Its Indefensible Lifetime Voting Ban

Jan 26, 2024 | brennancenter.org | Sara Carter |Eliza Sweren-Becker

In Mississippi, people convicted of certain crimes, including passing a bad check for $100, can be stripped of their voting rights for life. That could all change: the full Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals took up a case challenging this Jim Crow-era remnant this week. For Mississippi’s faith community, this law is immoral, excessive, and should not stand. Since I founded the New Horizon Church in 1987, I’ve imparted to our believers the need for mercy and compassion.